Boot Camps - CCNA/CCNP/CCIE

[Conundrum]

A friend of mine doesn't have the patience to actually study the available material to learn what he needs to. Although I have my CCNA, I've never pursued my CCNP or CCIE and from what I understand, the CCIE is a very involved certification that requires a lot of study. More than what any boot camp would be capable of providing I would imagine.

Regardless, I promised him that I would reach out in the various forums with the huge nerds and geeks that probably have the most reliable and/or affordable solutions. I know he's willing to invest money in a boot camp that will guarantee to get him through it etc. I told him he should go with the best available since he has the money to invest in it. So I'm looking for a list of the best places. He (like myself) lives in Michigan... so finding the nearest place to go for this would be ideal. Although I believe he's willing to travel if it's worth it.

I hope that some of the people that browse these forums have some input into this topic. I've come across a great range of choices in my search ranging from the 'authorized by Cisco' list of boot camps down to the ones that come up through Google searches etc. Typically what I've come across has been anywhere from $2000-$3000 for a weeks training to obtain the CCNA and $6000-$7000 for 2 weeks training to obtain the CCNP. I don't know of anywhere that would even attempt to do the CCIE as well, but if such a place exists I would like to know about it as well. I appreciate the time and effort anyone puts into replying to this post.

Thanks!

 

[CVSiN]

Unitek is a very good school bay area in Cali one of the most complete Cisco training courses on the west coast period.

 

[PawNtheSandman]

He would be better off buying the TestKing pdf for $100, because all those Boot Camps do is drill into your head the test answers.

 

[tami]

i was of the same mindset as your friend. i went through a new horizons boot camp (which i must say is a relatively good program), but the biggest problem is that you don't necessarily get the proper motivation to go forth and GET the certifications. sure, there are classes, but then you need to take practice exams and score 90% or higher on them and prove to someone that you did that. THEN, you can schedule a test. such an approach can often turn people off, even if they put in thousands of dollars into the program. in the end, if you do get certified and pass the requirements, you take a contract position (that pays $12-20 hourly) for 30 days and if they like you, they'll hire you.

but it's a one year commitment, and you have to finish all coursework and get certified within that time. if not, you're SOL. therefore, if you have serious life matters to attend to or are currently working full-time, it's hard to fit it all into the schedule.

meanwhile, i did take what i learned from the program into my current job (microsoft network engineer), and i am happy. if anything at all, i'm glad i got course materials from the classes and i'm glad i am familiar with much of what i do here currently from the classes i took. would the certifications have afforded me a higher salary? probably not.

 

[PawNtheSandman]

Please don't make me post my New Horizons horror story. I was in a decent mood until you brought up their name.

 

[TGS]

Lol me and a co worker are planning to take some course through them... I did take a cert test for my company and it was alright.

 

[m2kewl]

nothing beats work experience...

and long nights with Cisco CCO

 

[tami]

Originally posted by: PawNtheSandman
Please don't make me post my New Horizons horror story. I was in a decent mood until you brought up their name.

while i don't want to kill your mood, i'm actually very interested.

 

[Conundrum]

I'm wondering as well if they even offer a boot camp that would prepare you to get your CCIE.

 

[cjgallen]

Originally posted by: PawNtheSandman
He would be better off buying the TestKing pdf for $100, because all those Boot Camps do is drill into your head the test answers.

Or find it on P2P . . .

I gave up on the Cisco crap though . . . I got a CCNA, wanna buy it?

 

[SagaLore]

Well, I would have recommended Camp Certify which was in Texas, but they seemed to have vanished without notice. Too bad, I really enjoyed that week.

 

[SagaLore]

Originally posted by: PawNtheSandman
Please don't make me post my New Horizons horror story. I was in a decent mood until you brought up their name.

Oh please tell.

I took my SCNP at New Horizons, and that was great because they flew in a guy that has been doing data security work since the beginning, and helped write the Security+ test. But, I have also taken other courses that were taught by the same instructor that worked there. Luckily he was a good and entertaining instructor, but I have heard that some of them there are horrible.

 

[tami]

Originally posted by: SagaLore

Originally posted by: PawNtheSandman
Please don't make me post my New Horizons horror story. I was in a decent mood until you brought up their name.

Oh please tell.

his story isn't really about the quality of the new horizons training, but rather about some change in ownership while he was a student there.

link to thread here